


My Lovely Nurse

by GammaGreenShe_Hulk



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2013-11-15
Packaged: 2018-01-01 15:02:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1045305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GammaGreenShe_Hulk/pseuds/GammaGreenShe_Hulk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony has just had his arc reactor removed. Now he's recovering. He has to stay at home and someone needs to keep him company. In comes Steve to save the day, but will he be able to put up with Tony until he's fully recovered?</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Lovely Nurse

**Author's Note:**

> I took up this prompt when I saw em1ree ask for it on tumblr. I hope I don't mess it up. I'm going to start this as a one shot. If you like it and want more chapters, please let me know.

Tony was laying in bed bellyaching again. "I'm thirsty! Someone get me something to drink!" Pepper walked into the room and looked pointedly at the glass of water sitting right next to his bed. "But I don't want water. I want something stronger," Tony whined. Pepper just rolled her eyes and left the room for the third time in five minutes. They had had this conversation since he had gotten home. Alcohol and pain pills was a lethal combination. Tony sighed and let his head fall back onto the pillows. He reached over and grabbed the water and gulped it down. He set the glass back on the table and winced. He felt a pull at the stitches on his chest. The surgery had gone perfectly. No more shrapnel, no more arc reactor.

It was weird. He had lived with the arc reactor's soft blue glow for so long. Now it was gone and darkness replaced the blue light. Tony actually started to miss the soft blue glow. He still panicked when he realized he couldn't see the light or hear the low hum of the reactor working. Then he would remember that it had been removed. Tony lay in bed and thought about that. It's gone. _I don't have to worry about dying from the shrapnel or poisoning myself. Not that I had to because of the new element, but still. Now it's gone._ What was ridiculous was the sense of loss he felt at that thought.

Tony fell asleep thinking. He woke up in a cold sweat. He had been dreaming about waking up in that cave. He looked around and panicked. It was so dark. He couldn't see. Where was the light??? Was he in that cave? _Where am I???_ Tony screamed. He heard running footsteps coming closer and suddenly the room he was in was flooded with light. He hid under the blanket. A tall figure stood silhouetted by the light. Tony sat up and tried to scramble off the bed and away from the menacing figure. "Hey, hey. Where are you going? You could pop the stitches. Hey!" A male voice said. A light went on in the room. Tony blinked until he could see. He squinted at the man who had rushed over and was holding onto his arm. He seemed familiar somehow... "Tony, are you alright? I heard you scream. What's wrong? And why are you trying to get away from me?" The last question sounded like the man was hurt by his trying to run away.

Tony shook his head and blinked at the man again, confused. He tried to tug his arm out of the man's grip. His hand only tightened on his arm. "Do I know you?" Tony's brows scrunched together in thought and confusion. The man looked sad. He nodded. "Yes. Tony, it's me, Steve. Remember?" Tony sat there for a few more minutes before the fog in his brain cleared and he remembered. "Oh, shit, Steve! I'm sorry. I have no idea what came over me." Tony sat back against the pillows again and closed his eyes. When he opened them and looked over, brown eyes met sad blue eyes.

The pain meds and the sedative they gave you in the water, Tony. Do you want to talk about why you screamed and seemed so eager to get away from me?" Steve sat down on the edge of the bed. He was wearing his suit, meaning he had just been out on patrol. Tony sighed sadly. He hated being cooped up while he healed. Being idle bothered him. He nodded. Steve looked down at himself then over at Tony and stood up. "I'm going to change. I will be right back," Tony nodded and watched Steve leave the room again.

Steve came back not long after leaving. This time he was in sweat pants and a tee shirt. Tony couldn't stop his eyes from tracing the other man's muscles. He shook his head while Steve was sitting down on the edge of the bed again. _Keep it together, man. Are you really checking out Steve? Yes, yes I am._ Tony got comfortable and told Steve what had happened since Pepper had left. He looked at the clock and his eyes went wide. He had been asleep for twelve hours! Steve leaned closer when he saw Tony's panicked expression. "Tony? Are you alright?" He was genuinely concerned about Tony. Tony nodded. "Don't ever let me sleep that long again. It's like I was in a coma. I don't like it," Tony said, taking a calming breath. Steve took a breath to calm himself, too.

When their heart rates were back to normal Tony sat up slowly and looked at Steve. "Just curious, why were you the one that came running? Why did you even come running at all?" He couldn't seem to wrap his mind around it. He tortured Steve because he was jealous of him, not that he'd admit that aloud to anyone. He thought Steve hated him because he was a self-centered asshole who was trying to be a hero. Steve had looked concerned for his safety, though.

He expected Steve to say someone else had made him do it or some other answer to deny the fact that he might have been worried. He surprised Tony. "I heard the fear when you screamed. I was worried you were in trouble. I wasn't about to ignore that." Tony leaned back against the pillows. _Huh. He would have done that for anyone. Not just me. That doesn't mean anything. This doesn't prove or disprove anything._ "Are you alright now?" Tony nodded and expected Steve to leave as fast as he could. Again he was surprised. "Do you need anything? Water, something to eat, something to read, anything at all?" Tony looked at Steve and saw that he did indeed care. He felt a tug in his chest. It wasn't painful, it wasn't even real. It was a tug on his heartstrings because someone actually cared about him. Tony said he'd like something to drink and maybe something to eat. His stomach growled to emphasize the point. Steve chuckled at his stomach and went to go get more water and some food.

Tony sat there in a daze. Steve cared about him? When had that happened? How did he feel about that? Did he return the feelings? _Of course I do. I just haven't realized until I knew for sure he felt the same about me._ Tony thought and shook his head slowly with a smile. Everyone would be shocked when they found out. He might as well ask when Steve came back, just to make sure. Tony had been waiting to make a move. He had been debating about it for a while because Steve was old fashioned and Tony had no idea how he'd react. _Might as well try. At least then it'll be out there. __Tony took a deep breath and waited for Steve to return. The wonderful smell of food met his nose before Steve was even to the door. Tony's stomach growled again and he all but pounced on the plate Steve set down in front of him._

Steve let Tony eat in silence. When Tony finished he moved the plate and tray onto the side table and looked at Steve. "I know we aren't exactly good friends, or at least that's what I used to think. Now that I really look back I can see that you started to care about me as a friend and then maybe more than a friend. And I started to feel the same way about you. I don't know for sure how you feel, which is why I'm going to ask: Steve, do you like me?" Steve gave him a confused look? "What do you mean, like?" Tony sighed and took a deep breath and plunged on before he lost his nerve and said never mind. "Do you like like me? You know _like_ like?" Understanding dawned in Steve's eyes then. Tony was embarrassed that he'd phrased the question like a kid would have.

It felt like he waited forever for Steve to reply when, in fact, it had only been a couple of minutes. Steve sat there staring off into space for a while then slowly nodded his head and looked at Tony. "Yes. I do," Steve said confidently. Tony nodded "Then how about we make it official?" Tony asked with a small nervous, smile. Steve returned the smile and nodded again. Tony lunged and wrapped his arms around Steve's neck and hugged him, then whimpered in pain when he felt his stitches tug and the twinge where the reactor had been. Steve helped him sit back, a light reprimand on his face along with the worry.

"I should change the bandages. It's past time to and I'm the only other person here besides you," Steve stood up and padded into the bathroom to fetch the fresh bandages and gauze. He set to work taking off the old and replacing it with the new. Tony winced when Steve's hand brushed the stitches. The wince turned into a look of pleasure when he felt fingers lightly brush the still sensitive skin that had been around the arc reactor. Steve noticed both looks and deliberately ran his fingers over Tony's skin again. Tony shivered at the touch. Steve only barely managed to put the new bandage on before Tony grabbed his hand and pulled him forward.

Steve was caught off guard but he still tried his best not to hurt Tony. Tony smiled and planted a kiss on the soldier's lips. Steve sat there for a moment before returning the kiss. Tony felt Steve's hand slide up his bare stomach to the skin that was still so sensitive and lightly ran his fingers over it. Tony shivered again and deepened the kiss. Steve was the one to break the kiss. "I don't want to hurt you," he said, his eyes worried. Tony just smiled and pulled him back. "Don't worry. As long as you're careful it'll be fine. Now put those lips to better use and kiss me," Tony murmured against Steve's lips. Steve smiled and moved just enough to close the gap between their lips and they were kissing again.

Tony moved so he was leaning back on the pillows a little farther. He pulled Steve up so the taller man was straddling his waist, all without breaking the kiss. Steve broke the kiss again, but only to trail little ones down Tony's jaw, neck, and collar bone. Tony felt the feather light tickle of Steve's breath near the bandage and then the soft touch of his lips. Tony shuddered with longing. He pulled Steve's face back up gently and kissed him again. Sadly Steve would not let it get more intense than some very passionate making out. He left so Tony could sleep, but Tony wasn't the least bit tired. He was surprised Steve had went with that. _I guess he's gotten used to the fact that this sort of thing is perfectly acceptable now. I know he's not doing it for me, if he wasn't into it he wouldn't have done it because it would have been weird. I can't complain, though._ Tony smiled and closed his eyes, the taste of Steve's lips still lingered. He ran his tongue slowly over his lips and chuckled quietly. He fell asleep without the aid of pain meds. Tony went the entire night without having a nightmare or waking up screaming. Instead he dreamed about Steve.

Steve wondered what had gotten into him. _Did I really just kiss Tony Stark? Tony, the man I've liked since I saw him risk his life to save everyone?_ Steve blushed as he walked to the elevator and pressed the down button. He got off and walked to his room and into the bathroom. Steve looked in the mirror. The first thing he noticed was that his hair was tousled and his lips were swollen from all the kissing. _Kissing. Tony Stark._ It was like a dream. He had never in a million years thought Tony, the ladies man, the playboy, would ever return his feelings. He still had a hard time believing he felt that way about Tony anyway. _It's not frowned upon here, though. It's perfectly fine for us to be together if we want to. But how will the others feel about this?_

Steve was not looking forward to that. He had a feeling it wouldn't end very well. He hoped for the best but expected the worst. Now where had he put that shield? Steve looked around his room and when he didn't see the shield in it's normal places he sighed. He checked under the bed by hanging over the side and peering under Not there. He checked the closet. Not there, either. It wasn't in the bathroom or the kitchen or the living room or with his suit. Where was it? Steve walked past Tony's door and heard a snicker. He stopped just out of sight of the cracked door and looked back. Tony snickered again. How had he...?

Walking into the room confirmed his suspicions. There was Tony sitting on the bed with his legs crossed, the shield sitting on his knees. "How did you get that past me? You aren't supposed to be up and about yet," Steve walked over and sat down next to Tony. Tony put the shield down on the floor and wrapped his arms around Steve's neck and hugged him. Steve sat there in surprise for a second before his hands encircled Tony's waist and returned the hug.

"I didn't get the shield. I had my helper get it," Tony smiled and looked over to one corner of the room. Steve followed his gaze and saw the small robot that Tony had built a while ago to get things when he was busy and no one else would. Steve smiled and kissed Tony's temple without thinking. He felt Tony blush and smile. "You don't always have to worry about me getting hurt only sometimes." They both chuckled and then fell into a comfortable silence. They sat that way, with their arms around each other and heads on the other's shoulder, for quite a while.

When Steve heard Tony's breathing even out he smiled. _He fell asleep in my arms_ he thought, smiling fondly at the genius. He gently laid the shorter man back against the pillows and was in the process of moving his legs when Tony stirred. He mumbled something unintelligible. Steve leaned closer. "What?" Tony repeated it a little louder, but Steve still couldn't understand what he'd said. He leaned even closer to the other man's face and let out a startled squeak when he was abruptly pulled down onto the bed. "Come lay with me, please," Tony whispered into Steve's ear. His breath tickled and sent a shiver of desire along the blond's spine. "I want you close. You keep the nightmares away. And I enjoy your company," Tony yawned and snuggled up against Steve's back.

Steve turned around and wrapped his arms around Tony. Tony hummed in contentment and laid his forehead against Steve's chest. Steve smiled and dropped a light kiss on the head of brown hair. Tony fell asleep for the third time that day with an easy smile on his face. Steve joined him not long after.

All that could be heard from Tony's room was the soft sounds of two people breathing, the sheets as they shifted, and maybe the occasional happy muttering. Tony didn't have another nightmare and neither did Steve. Instead their dreams were of a more peaceful sort. All was well in Avengers Tower.


End file.
